SEATED IN CHRIST 12.7.25

December 8th, 2025

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

The Christian life doesn’t begin with striving — it begins with position. Long before we made a choice to follow God, He had already chosen us. Scripture reminds us that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ and adopted into God’s family, not because of what we’ve done, but because of what He has done. We are sealed by the Holy Spirit, marked as secure and forever belonging to Him.

The resurrection of Jesus is more than a miracle — it’s a display of unstoppable power. He didn’t only rise from the grave; He rose in victory over sin, darkness, and every spiritual power that stood against God. That same resurrection power now lives inside every believer. Even more incredible, the Bible says we are seated with Christ in heavenly places right now — not later, not someday, but today.

When we understand this, it changes everything. We don’t work for victory; we live from it. Our obedience isn’t about earning God’s love, but responding to it. We are God’s workmanship, created for good works that flow out of our identity, not to create it. The Christian life begins by resting in what Jesus has already accomplished — learning to sit in His presence before we try to walk in our own strength.

REFLECT |

What would shift in your life if you truly lived from your position in Christ instead of striving to earn something He has already given?
Where might God be asking you to sit, rest, and trust Him more this week?

BIBLE VERSES

Key Verses are denoted with an *

DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DAY 1 | CHOSEN BEFORE TIME BEGAN

Have you ever wondered if God really wants you? In a world that often makes us feel unwanted or inadequate, it's easy to question our worth. But here's a truth that will transform your perspective: God chose you before the foundation of the world. This wasn't a last-minute decision or a backup plan. Before time began, before you took your first breath, before you made any mistakes or achievements, God looked at you and said, "I want that one." This divine choice isn't based on your performance, your background, or your potential. It's based entirely on His love and sovereign will. When you feel like you don't measure up, remember that He measures up perfectly, and He chose you anyway. You're not an accident or an afterthought - you're a deliberate choice of the Creator of the universe. This truth should bring incredible peace to your heart. You don't have to earn God's love or prove your worth. You're already chosen, already wanted, already loved beyond measure. Your identity isn't found in what others think of you or even what you think of yourself. Your identity is found in being chosen by God Himself.

BIBLE VERSE |
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." - Ephesians 1:3-4

REFLECTION QUESTION |
How does knowing that God chose you before the foundation of the world change the way you view yourself and your struggles today?

QUOTE |
"He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy without blame before him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons."

PRAYER |
Father, thank You for choosing me before time began. Help me to rest in this truth when I feel inadequate or unwanted. Remind me daily that my worth comes from Your choice, not my performance. In Jesus' name, Amen.

DAY 2 | SEALED AND SECURED

Imagine receiving a package with an unbroken seal - you know it's authentic and hasn't been tampered with. When you believed in Christ, God placed His own seal on you: the Holy Spirit. This isn't just a symbol; it's a guarantee of your security and His ownership of your life. In ancient times, a seal represented authority, authenticity, and protection. Kings would seal important documents to show they were genuine and couldn't be altered. God has done the same with you. The Holy Spirit is His seal, marking you as His own and guaranteeing your eternal security. This means you belong to God completely. You're not on probation, hoping to earn your place in His family. You're not at risk of losing your salvation because of your failures. The seal of the Holy Spirit is God's promise that you are His forever. When doubts creep in about your standing with God, remember the seal. When you feel distant from Him, remember the seal. When you mess up, remember the seal. Your relationship with God isn't based on your ability to hold onto Him, but on His promise to hold onto you. The seal cannot be broken by your weakness, only strengthened by His faithfulness.

BIBLE VERSE |
"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." - Ephesians 1:13

REFLECTION QUESTION |
What areas of your life do you struggle to trust God's security and ownership, and how can remembering His seal on your life bring you peace?

QUOTE |
"He predestined us. He chose us. He sealed us with the Holy Spirit. I win. Amen. You win. We're in Christ."

PRAYER |
Lord, thank You for sealing me with Your Holy Spirit. Help me to live with confidence in Your security and ownership of my life. When I doubt, remind me of Your unbreakable seal. Amen.

DAY 3 | RESURRECTION POWER WITHIN

Death has a finality to it that we all understand. When something dies, it's powerless, lifeless, and begins to decay. But Jesus didn't just overcome death - He demonstrated a power so magnificent that it defies human comprehension. He raised Himself from under the weight of every sin ever committed, from Adam to the last person who will ever live. Here's the incredible truth: that same resurrection power now lives in you. You're not just forgiven; you're empowered. You're not just saved from something; you're saved to something extraordinary. The power that conquered death, hell, and the grave is the same power working within you today. Before Christ, you were spiritually dead - unable to please God or make yourself righteous. Dead things can only do one thing: decay. But God made you alive with Christ's life. You now have access to supernatural power for supernatural living. This isn't about trying harder or being more religious. This is about recognizing the divine power that already resides within you. When you face impossible situations, remember the resurrection power. When you feel weak and defeated, remember the resurrection power. When circumstances seem overwhelming, remember that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is working in and through you.

BIBLE VERSE |
"And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead." - Ephesians 1:19-20

REFLECTION QUESTION |
In what specific area of your life do you need to rely more on God's resurrection power rather than your own strength?

QUOTE |
"The resurrection power of Christ lives in us. Hallelujah. We were raised with him as well."

PRAYER |
Heavenly Father, thank You for the resurrection power of Christ that lives within me. Help me to walk in this power daily, trusting You for strength beyond my own abilities. Amen.

DAY 4 | SEATED IN HEAVENLY PLACES

Where you sit matters. In important meetings, seating arrangements reflect authority and relationship. In God's kingdom, you have been given the most incredible seat imaginable - you are seated with Christ in heavenly places. This isn't a future promise; this is your present reality. Right now, as you read this, you are spiritually positioned in the throne room of heaven. You have access to heavenly authority, heavenly perspective, and heavenly power. This doesn't mean you're physically in heaven yet, but spiritually, you're already there with Christ. From this heavenly position, earthly problems look different. Financial struggles, relationship conflicts, health concerns - while real and challenging, they're viewed from heaven's perspective. You're not fighting for victory; you're fighting from victory. You're not trying to get to a place of authority; you're already there. This truth should transform how you approach each day. You don't have to beg God for help from a distance - you're seated right next to Jesus. You don't have to wonder if you have access to God's power - you're positioned in the very place where all power originates. You can walk in the power and glory of heaven today because that's where you spiritually reside.

BIBLE VERSE |
"And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." - Ephesians 2:6

REFLECTION QUESTION |
How would your daily decisions and attitudes change if you truly lived with the awareness that you are seated with Christ in heavenly places?

QUOTE |
"We're seated with Christ in the heavenly places. It's a spiritual place right now. Someday we'll be there in reality, but right now it's really real that we live there and we can walk there with the power and the glory that's in Heaven."

PRAYER |
Lord Jesus, thank You for raising me up and seating me with You in heavenly places. Help me to live from this position of authority and victory rather than striving to achieve it. Amen.

DAY 5 | REST IN WHAT'S ALREADY DONE

We live in a culture obsessed with doing. We measure worth by productivity, success by achievement, and value by performance. But the Christian life operates on a completely different principle - it begins not with a big "do" but with a big "done." Jesus accomplished everything necessary for your salvation and relationship with God. There's nothing left for you to add, nothing you can do to improve it, and nothing you can do to lose it. Your Christian life is built on resting in His finished work, not on your ongoing efforts. This doesn't mean you become passive or lazy. Instead, it means you stop trying so hard to please God through your performance and start resting in the fact that you already please Him through Christ. When you truly understand this, good works flow naturally from a heart of gratitude rather than a heart of obligation. God isn't waiting for you to get your act together before He loves you. He isn't keeping score of your failures or measuring your spiritual temperature daily. He looks at you through Christ and sees perfection. He's not disappointed in you; He's delighted with you. Stop trying so hard to earn what you already have and start enjoying the relationship that's already yours.

BIBLE VERSE |
'"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9

REFLECTION QUESTION |
What areas of your spiritual life are you still trying to "earn" rather than resting in what Christ has already accomplished?

QUOTE |
"Our Christian life doesn't begin with a big do, but with a big done. It's not what I do, it's what he did."

PRAYER |
Father, help me to rest in the finished work of Jesus rather than striving to earn Your love and acceptance. Teach me to live from a place of grace rather than performance. In Jesus' name, Amen.

ACTION STEP

This week, practice 'sitting with Christ' by setting aside time each day to simply rest in His presence without any agenda other than enjoying intimacy with Him. When you feel burdened or stressed, consciously surrender those concerns to Him and remind yourself of your position as one who is seated with Christ in heavenly places. Choose one area where you've been striving in your own strength and deliberately practice depending on the Holy Spirit's power instead.

PRAYER

Father, thank You for the incredible truth that we are seated with Christ in heavenly places. Help us to truly grasp the magnitude of what You have done for us and to live from that place of rest and victory. When we are tempted to strive in our own strength, remind us to return to that place of sitting with You, surrendering our burdens and allowing Your Holy Spirit to work in and through us. May we be a people who walk in the authority and intimacy that comes from knowing our position in Christ. Transform us from the inside out as we learn to depend completely on You. We love You and thank You for choosing us. In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

BIBLE APP PLANS

Life In The Spirit: Adopted Into Christ's Family
5 Days – whoisgrace
No matter what your life has been like, the astonishing truth is that change is possible when you say yes to Jesus as King and Lord. But what exactly does life in Christ look like? In Romans 8:14-21, in the middle of one of the most theologically packed and beautiful chapters in the Bible, the apostle Paul describes the identity of a Christian led by the Holy Spirit.

Identity in Christ
7 Days – Jeff Bethke
This is a seven day devotional focusing on our identity in Christ and what that means.

Identity (Youth)
4 Days – Switch

This four-day youth reading plan explores what Scripture has to say about identity. Follow the story of three students who are given the chance to change who they are. However, in order to gain a new identity, they must first leave behind who they used to be. Each day you'll read a passage of Scripture, watch the story, and witness firsthand what it means to find your identity in God.